Starry Eyed
by Ryouko Akizakura
Summary: Senjougahara Hitagi is haunted by her past, the past without her weight. She encounters the crab god, but before she can run to it, Araragi Koyomi stops her. Has she really forgiven everything that's happened to her? KoyoHita. I don't own Bakemonogatari.


**Author's Note**: This is the other story I was talking about. I also started Bakemonogatari, but I haven't quite finished it yet. I'm only on episode 9, and am currently waiting for it to load right now. I'm in a Bakemonogatari mood right now. Anyway, sorry if the awesomeness of this story just dies near the end. I was having problems with inspiration. And if they're both out of character, I blame it on the fact that I was too lazy to get off my butt and watch somemore before starting this because of damn Gurren Lagann and schoolwork. Everytime I was on the computer the time was spent watching Gurren Lagann or writing SimoYoko stuff, or looking for icons. Seriously, I'm pathetic. I will write a better Bakemonogatari fanfic soon, after I finish the anime. I promise that on my ninja way, 'cause that's the way Team Dai-Gurren rolls!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Bakemonogatari, Senjougahara Hitagi, Araragi Koyomi, KoyoHita, or any other character mentioned in this story. In short, or in simple terms, I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I OWN NOTHING AT ALL! I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING!

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><p>The air was silent as I walked. The wind was trembling as it blew through my long purple hair, my grape blue eyes narrowed as I continued walking, not stopping for a split second. I had to keep walking. It was because of him that I was this way. It was because of <em>him<em> that I had my weight back.

I couldn't help but smile gently, as my purple side bangs blew into my eyes. Yes. He'd help me overcome my fears and regain my weight. I'd become myself again, through Araragi-kun. He'd been there for me, ready to jump in and stop the crab god from doing away with me. And because of him, I was able to feel, to hate, to love.

Most of all, I was able to feel alive. I was able to feel loved. I could feel my heart beating in my chest at the pace of one of the hummingbirds that would ever so gently land on one of the flowers in the garden outside my house. The luminous colors would dance across my glittering irises as I'd watch it in childish wonder, curiosity, not knowing if it was an angel sent down from heaven to give me hope, or to drag me down into the pits of hell mercilessly. Nevertheless, I would be completely captivated, starry eyed.

And it was because of this that I felt human again. I could smile now. I could smile and not feel guilty or unhappy because of my ability to show emotion. I could be happy without the feeling of guilt overriding every possible nerve ending that triggered these foreign emotions called love and warmth. I was human, with a living and beating heart. I smiled again, and blinked my eyes once. Sorrow was no longer a part of me.

It no longer dragged my shoulders forward, held the bags under my eyes, dulled the brightness of my face, haunted my every breathless whisper. It no longer was anywhere near me. Araragi-kun…He meant more to me then I had originally thought. I kept walking, putting one foot daintily in front of the other, the sun raining down on me with its shimmering golden crystal fireflies, the ruddy lights weaving themselves into my violet hair, shooting down the length of it as the wind ruffled it gently.

I was myself again. I could now laugh and cry whenever I felt like it. Not that I couldn't before, but, now, I could feel the emotions as I'd laugh and cry. The crab took more than just my weight away. It took my heart away as well. I lifted my chin up to the sky, stopping on the street corner and putting my hand on my hip lightly.

The sun. It hadn't changed. It hadn't changed at all since I last looked upon it. It was still round, glowing, magnetizing, and still held that celestial power that always calmed me whenever I was scared. It held me still, sent its ethereal limbs to cradle me in its embrace tenderly. Every time that ball of solar energy shone down on me, I would feel a surge of light rush through me. I've come to recognize that as love and warmth.

I watched the clouds dance across the azure ceiling above my head, turning my head quickly as the wispy streaks of pillow feathers soared across the blanket in a rush of wind, pulling my long plum colored hair along with it, the side pieces that framed my face blowing into my wondering blue eyes. They were dancing tonight. And judging by the looks of it, they were calling something.

I swung my head toward the falling sun, the stars of the constellation of the crab hanging into the sky above my head within seconds, as the feathers ripped the indigo cover of night over the ice blue that had previously donned the celestial light, my eyes widening in horror. _The crab god? Was that what they were calling?_

It had all happened in a flash. I couldn't even speak. I couldn't even cry out in the stark terror that now ripped through my veins. I felt my irises shake as the constellation glowed brighter, my zodiac turning against me. Light surged upward from the ground underneath my feet, as I looked down, touching my knees together out of fear. The god…It was coming back again.

Legs touched the ground in front of me, the clacking of claws echoing in the air between us, my blue eyes widening in horror. It was going to take my weight again. It was going to steal everything from me one last time. It was going to drive my heart away in that very same heavenly chariot one more time. I held my hands close to my heart as wind spun in a circle around the luminous god, small dots of light tracing the outline of a crab along the ground, two luminous eyes staring at me levelly.

"Please…Don't take my weight again, Cancer." I pleaded, dropping to my hands and knees, my purple hair falling over my shoulders. "I beg you. I haven't done anything to make you regret your decision."

The crab didn't take a single step toward or away from me. It just stood there, watching my every move curiously. I could feel its power running through the very ground it stood on so delicately, its feet barely touching the earth beneath them. The power seeped into my body through my pores, shooting through my veins like the thin streaks that had split the sky just a few moments ago. This power was potent, and yet, gentle. It wasn't hostile. I raised my head, my eyes wide. The crab just nodded.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" I exclaimed, lifting myself to my feet in a flash, and staggering toward the god with hurried footsteps.

"Senjougahara? What are you doing out at this time of night? Do you want me to walk you home?" I stopped in my tracks, the crab blowing away like dust, as I reached my right hand toward it in one final effort. "Senjougahara? Were you listening?"

"Araragi-kun, are you a stalker?" I asked, closing my eyes as I turned toward him, biting my lip in slight annoyance. He snorted, shoving his hands into his pockets in response.

"I'm afraid not. Anyway, do you want me to walk you home, or not?" He repeated, turning his head to the left, scratching the right side of his face, embarrassed. I couldn't help but smile when I was around him.

"Why not. It's not like you're gonna harass me when my back is turned." I pointed out, walking up to his side, and bending over to pick up my school bag, lifting my index finger. Araragi-kun's face flushed bright red.

"H-HEY! I'M NOT A PERVERT!" He cried, as I smiled coyly, wrapping my hands around the handles of my bag and lifting it up off the ground, the stars dancing in his eyes as I looked up. _Beautiful…_

"Then why did I catch you looking down my shirt just now?" I asked daintily, hopping over the crack in the side walk as we started walking. Araragi-kun stiffened beside me.

"WHERE THE HECK DID YOU GET THAT FROM? I WAS JUST WATCHING YOU PICK UP YOUR BAG!" He answered, worked up. "I WASN'T LOOKING ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR CHEST JUST NOW!"

"You're in denial?" I turned toward him, as I hopped over more cracks, my lips parted. Araragi-kun shook his head lifting his palms up.

"It's not like that!" He responded, screwing his eyes shut tightly. "I'm not a pervert, Senjougahara!"

"Look. It's alright to be interested in a girl's body. I understand, being a virgin just like you." I replied lightly, as I continued with evading the cracks in the sidewalk. A slight snarl came from my right.

"Do you have to announce that to the entire town? It isn't exactly something that I want everyone to know." He hissed angrily, my lip curling up.

"Well, I know don't I? Why not let everyone else know too? You should be proud that you've abstained from having sex for so long. I mean, you are in high school now." I pointed out, landing on one foot, and spinning around a few times, Araragi-kun fuming.

"That's not the point, Senjougahara! That's personal!" He retorted as we continued walking. "How would you feel if I told everyone about your "incurable disease"? How would you feel?"

"It's a mute point. I was cured. By you, Araragi-kun." I shot him a knowing glance. "So, you can't really use that fact against me this time."

"You've got a point. But still! Don't announce that I'm a virgin to the entire town, okay?" He replied, his voice lifting a few octaves. I lifted my right hand to my mouth and giggled.

"You're a stubborn one, aren't you, Araragi-kun? I like stubbornness." I answered, turning my face to him and smiling gently through my innocent voice. Araragi-kun blushed.

"D-Don't say things like that, all of a sudden! What's gotten into you, Senjougahara?" He asked, pushing his hands into his pockets again. I tapped my top lip with my finger lightly.

"I've only had some rice all day. Nothing else. I'm actually not sure what could've gotten into me, to be honest." I replied, earning a confused look from Araragi-kun.

"You know I was being sarcastic, right?" He asked, to which I slammed my feet down on the floor, and grabbed his collar roughly, narrowing my eyes as my face grew dark.

"Are you implying that I'm stupid, Araragi-kun?" I asked, my blue eyes flashing dangerously. He blinked, and gulped.

"Uhm, no Senjougahara. I wasn't implying that you're stupid. I was just suggesting that you might not know what sarcasm is." He answered, looking me straight in the face, his eyes holding no fear. I smiled, and backed off.

"Hm, I see…So, this sarcasm you speak of…What is it like?" I asked dreamily, hopping from crack to crack in the sidewalk. "Is it supposed to hurt or confuse?"

"It's just a way of expressing your emotions or boredom, I guess." I narrowed my eyes.

"So you're bored with me?" I asked, turning my head toward him, my long purple hair swinging out beside me.

"I never said that. Why would I be bored of you?" He drawled, rolling his eyes.

"You implied it." I answered.

"Where did you get that from?" His eyes widened.

"From what you just said." I replied, my voice growing hollow as I skipped across a few cracks. Araragi-kun lifted his palm to his face.

"I never said that you bored me." He answered, his voice muffled by his palm. I laughed quietly, skipping over more cracks.

"You just did though!" I pointed out, smirking at him from the corner of my eye. He sighed.

"You just can't win with you…" He muttered, jogging to keep up. "Why are you skipping?"

"Because it's fun. And because I'm bored." I replied flatly, Araragi-kun's narrowing. "Not with you of course."

"Yeah, sure." He muttered back, his tone sarcastic. "Of course you're not bored with me."

"How could I be bored with you when I'm your lover?" I asked simply, turning my head toward him, facing him fully as I continued skipping. His body jerked out of surprise.

"Where did that come from-So suddenly?" He demanded hotly, my laughter pealing out of my parted lips like the sound of shimmering bells.

"Well, I _am_ your lover, aren't I?" I questioned, giving him a soft smile. Araragi-kun snorted.

"I guess so, since we are technically _together_." He sighed, closing his eyes. "Seriously."

"Seriously what?" I asked flippantly, my footsteps infrequent as I hopped over more cracks in the sidewalk.

"Seriously. You can be so difficult sometimes." He answered, looking over at me. I laughed once.

"I'm a Tsundere. I have to be difficult." I replied simply, smiling again. "It's in my nature, Araragi-kun."

"Uh huh." He pointed out, throwing his hands up behind his head as he power walked next to me.

"Tsunderes are difficult, combative, and fiery." I explained, landing daintily to a standstill, and turning toward Araragi-kun, lifting my hand up to his face gently, his eyes widening as he blushed slightly. "But they're also loving toward the person they warm up to as well. Which, in my case, would be you, Araragi-kun."

"I can see that." He replied, slightly uncomfortable. I smiled, and lifted my hand away, and started skipping again, Araragi-kun jogging after me.

"Well, my house is up ahead." I pointed out, walking out of my skipping as we approached the front gate. He nodded, stepping up alongside me.

"Yeah." He answered, as we turned toward each other soundlessly.

"Aren't you going to walk me to my door, like the guys do in those romance movies?" I asked hopefully, Araragi-kun blushing again.

"W-Well, uh…Only if you want me to, Senjougahara." He stuttered in reply, my hand coming up one more time, sliding up the side of his face tenderly.

"Of course I want you to, Araragi-kun! You're _my_ lover too, aren't you? It's not like you're going to harass me while my back is turned." I asked, my smile brightening. He snorted again.

"Didn't we already address this? I'm not a pervert. For the last time." He replied, taking my hand and starting to move toward the door. I followed, laughing slightly.

"I suppose we did." I answered, following him to the door, and walking up the steps behind him. Araragi-kun stopped right in front of the doorknob, and turned to face me.

"Well, here you are, Senjougahara. Have a goodnight." I smiled, and stepped around him, reaching for the doorknob with one hand, and lifting the other to his face as I leaned forward, pressing my lisp to his forehead sweetly.

"Thank you, Araragi-kun." I breathed once I pulled away, Araragi-kun starry eyed. "Thank you for everything."


End file.
